Ati George Sokomanu
Encyclopedia
Ati George Sokomanu, MBE
(born January 13, 1937) (original name George Kalkoa) is a Ni-Vanuatu
politician who served as the first president of the country. He was elected President by the Parliament when Vanuatu gained independence in 1980, and served until the end of his term in 1984. He resigned during the election campaign, but was reelected and restored to the presidency several weeks later by the Parliament for a 5-year term, serving as President until 1989.
An Anglophone
, Sokomanu was a member of the Vanua'aku Pati
during his presidency. He is the uncle of former Prime Minister Barak Sopé
. Ati George Sokomanu received his secondary school education at Lelean Memorial School
, in Fiji in the 1940s. He served as Secretary-General of the Pacific Community from 1993 to 1996.
He has been awarded the Vanuatu Order of Merit
and an MBE
.
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
(born January 13, 1937) (original name George Kalkoa) is a Ni-Vanuatu
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
politician who served as the first president of the country. He was elected President by the Parliament when Vanuatu gained independence in 1980, and served until the end of his term in 1984. He resigned during the election campaign, but was reelected and restored to the presidency several weeks later by the Parliament for a 5-year term, serving as President until 1989.
An Anglophone
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Sokomanu was a member of the Vanua'aku Pati
Vanua'aku Pati
The Vanua'aku Pati is a political party in Vanuatu.At the last legislative elections, 1 September 2008, the party won 11 out of 52 seats, becoming the largest party in Parliament....
during his presidency. He is the uncle of former Prime Minister Barak Sopé
Barak Sopé
Barak Tame Sopé Mautamata is a politician from Vanuatu. He is the leader of the Melanesian Progressive Party and was, until 2008, a member of the ni-Vanuatu parliament from the island of Efate...
. Ati George Sokomanu received his secondary school education at Lelean Memorial School
Lelean Memorial School
Lelean Memorial School is one of the largest co-ed schools in Fiji today. It was established in 1943 and is run by the Methodist Church of Fiji. It is co-located at the Davuilevu Methodist Compound with the and the Young People's Department, which runs training for Methodist catechists...
, in Fiji in the 1940s. He served as Secretary-General of the Pacific Community from 1993 to 1996.
He has been awarded the Vanuatu Order of Merit
Order of Merit
The Order of Merit is a British dynastic order recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or for the promotion of culture...
and an MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
.